What NBA Teams Did Kobe Bryant Play For?
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Kobe Bryant is one of the most successful basketball players of all time. He played for several NBA teams during his 20-year career, including the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won five championships.
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Pre-NBA
Kobe Bean Bryant was born in 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, was a 6’6″ former NBA player who had a short stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. When Kobe was just six years old, his family moved to Rieti, Italy, where his father played professional basketball for a local team. Kobe quickly picked up the language and the love of the game.
Lower Merion High School
Bryant was drafted out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in 1996. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac a month later. During his time with the Lakers, he won five NBA championships.
NBA
Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he played his entire 20-season career in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers. He entered the league directly from high school, and won five NBA championships with the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers (1996-present)
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard and small forward for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Kobe is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He has played for the Lakers for his entire 20-year career.
Philadelphia 76ers (1996-1997)
Kobe Bean Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kobe’s parents named him after the popular Japanese steakhouse “Kobe” which they saw while on their honeymoon in Osaka. His parents, who met while studying at the University of Arizona, were professional basketball players. Kobe has an older sister, Sharia, and a younger sister, Shaya.
Kobe’s father Joe played basketball overseas for several years before joining the NBA. In 1984, he was drafted by the Houston Rockets but was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers before he ever played a game for Houston. Joe became a role player for the Lakers and helped them win championships in 1985 and 1987. After retiring from basketball in 1991, Joe became one of the first African-American sports announcers on network television when he joined NBC as a commentator.
Kobe started playing basketball when he was three years old. When Kobe was six years old, his family moved from Philadelphia to Rieti in Italy where his father signed a contract to play professional basketball. After two years in Italy, the family moved back to Philadelphia where Kobe continued to develop his skills as a player. In high school, he led his team to four straight championship titles and was named Pennsylvania’s Player of the Year as a senior.
In 1996, Kobe entered the NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He became the youngest player in NBA history when he made his debut at 18 years old. As a rookie, Kobe averaged 7.6 points per game but saw limited playing time coming off the bench behind All-Star guard Eddie Jones and veteran Byron Scott. The Lakers struggled that season and missed out on playoffs contention with a 34-48 record. Head coach Del Harris was fired and replaced by Kurt Rambis who led them to a 17-65 record in the following season which is still Worst Record In Franchise History till today (2015-2016). After being swept 3-0 by San Antonio Spurs in 1999 Western Conference Semifinals, head coach Kurt Rambis was also fired from his position.
Post-NBA
After Kobe’s last game with the Lakers, he had some time to think about his future. He decided that he wanted to continue his love for the game by becoming a coach. He also wanted to give back to the community that had given him so much. He decided to start the Kobe Bryant Foundation.
Retired (2016-present)
Kobe Bryant played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships. He announced his retirement from professional basketball on November 29, 2015, writing a “Dear Basketball” letter in The Players’ Tribune in which he stated that he would “always be grateful for your love and support.” At 34 years and 104 days of age, he became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. During his final season, Bryant received nationwide support from fellow players and fans as he came back from multiple injuries to play 60 games and lead the Lakers to a playoff berth.
